Part of Rs. 15-lakh ransom paid to gang recovered

Police on Monday arrested two persons in connection with the kidnap of a pharmacy retailer, R. Janarthanan (58), and recovered Rs. 5.6 lakh out of the Rs. 15 lakh ransom his wife had paid them.

Among the arrested was V. Sasikumar (36), a carpenter from Jaihindpuram, the alleged mastermind behind the kidnap on the night of April 18 when Janarthanan was returning home at Meenakshipuram from his shop. The other arrested person has been identified as V. Ganesan (56).

While Ganesan is an accused in a 2009 double murder case, Sasikumar was held in an extortion case in 2007.

An alcoholic, Sasikumar suffered a huge business loss and hatched the kidnap conspiracy with others to make quick money. Another accused in the case Ganesan alias Puspharaj (56), was detained under Goondas Act in 2007 for theft and robbery. He is the son of a history-sheeter, ‘Thendral’ Mohan, who was killed in police encounter in 1992.

“Having done carpentry work for a new house for Janarathanan in 2010, Sasikumar was aware of the huge money available with him. Hence, they kidnapped him on Munichalai after enacting a drama that Janarthanan had fled after having hit a woman with his two-wheeler,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) R. Thirunavukkarasu told reporters here on Monday.

After taking him to a secluded place along Melur Road in a SUV, they demanded a ransom of Rs. 1 crore. However, Janarthanan said he could pay them only Rs. 15 lakh.

After his wife made the payment, the gang freed him early morning the next day.

Though initially, Janarthanan did not know who was behind the crime, he was able to recognise the voice of Sasikumar and the police started following him.

Special teams led by Assistant Commissioner (Town) J. Doraisamy and Inspector of Police (Teppakulam) M. Ramani are on the lookout for other accused including, S. Muniraja (32) of Theni district, G. ‘Auto’ Muthu alias Muthukumar (34), and P.Arunkannu (24) and M. Ganesan (24) of Maninagaram.